Signal device for record sheets



Aug 18, 1931. c. H. LAW

SIGNAL DEVICE FOR RECORD SHEETS Filed April 5, 1930 Patented Aug. 18,1931 UNITED STATES CLARE H. LAW, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS SIGNAL DEVICE FORRECORD SHEETS Application filed April 5, 1930. Serial No. 441,876.

These improvements relate to signaling devices for record sheets. Suchrecord sheets are the account leaves, sheets or pages of books,loose-leaf binders, etc., and also cards "'(5 which may be kept indrawers or otherwise held for reference.

The prime object of the invention is to provide a simple, easilyoperated, low cost and effective signal device which is easilyapplicable to such record sheets and which may remain thereonindefinitely while having apart readily movable into and out ofsignaling position.

In its preferred form the device is in the ature of a. clip which may beapplied frictionally intoengagement with opposite sides of the recordsheet at an edge portion thereof, and, while being frictionally held onthe sheet, may be rocked substantially in the plane of the sheet from anon-signaling attitude, and vice versa.

Intlns record sheet signal art there have been a large number ofsuggestlons of cliplike devices adapted to be applied frictionally tothe record sheet along a free edge thereof, with a signal part extendingaway from the holding part. None of the prior art devices, so far as Iknow and believe, contemplates or provides for swinging the signal 0part into or out of the signaling position.

It would be possible to rock such prior art devices to some extentwhereby the signal part would have an acute angle relation to the edgeof the sheet, but the signal would still be exposed, and such deviceshave been designed for application to and removal from the record sheetto effect the signaling and non-signaling results. Such an acute angleposition would not be within the meaning of the term non-signaling asused in this specification. According to the present invention thesignal part is moved from the signaling position into a definitelynon-signaling position when the signal feature is not desired. It may bevisible along the edge of the sheet,

but it is not standing out and away from the sheet to any substantial ormaterialextent.

It has been suggested heretofore to provide a signal in connectionwithrecord sheets which rocks on the sheet into signaling andnon-signaling positions as defined herein. Such prior devices, however,in all instances of which I am aware, have been secured permanently tothe record sheet, with numerous 65 disadvantages. For example it wouldscarcely ever be desirable to have all of the record sheets so marked,and such excess devices would be a needless expense. Importantly, too,it becomes desirable from time to time to invest a given record sheetwith such signaling means for what may be a limited period of time only.Furthermore, such signals are preferably located at different places ondifferent sheets in the book or drawer. l Vhen such sheet is filed awaypermanently there is no occasion for the signaling device.

The greatest advantage would be had if there were provided a suitablesignal, occupY- ing but a slight amount of space, easily applicable todifferent places as desired, and from time to time as needed, with readyremovability, with difierent colors or other markings, etc., and theseadvantages are had according to the present device.

In the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specificationFigure l'shows'in faceview a fragment of arecord sheet having myimproved signal applied thereto in what I shall call the preferred form;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side or face view of the signal device of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 shows the blank from which the device of Figs. 1 and 2 is made;

Fig.4 is a cross section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2; i

Fig. 5 shows the application to a record sheet of a modification overthe device of Fig. 1; V

Fig. 6 is a perspective of the device of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is the same as Fig. 2 with the omission of certain pivotingmeans;

Fig. 8 shows another modified form as applied to a record sheet; 9 Fig.9 is an enlarged edge view of the device of Fig. 8; and

Fig. 10 shows another form somewhat modified over the devices of Figs. 1and 5, and 1m) as applied to a record sheet;

Turning to Fig. 3 the blank illustrated is to be considered of thin andspringy sheet material. Sheet spring steel several thousandths of aninch in thickness is suitable. Substances in the nature of celluloid,pyrolin, etc., may be employed. It comprises a body part 15 and a pairof legs 16 and 17 divided by a gap 18. There is preferably a bump orprojection 19 in one of the legs as 16 and which is inwardly directedwhen the parts are folded. In the opposite leg as 17 there is suitably ahole 20 punched in the metal directly opposite the projection 19 andadapted to cooperate with it.

In order to form the structure of Fig. 2 from that of Fig.3 the blank isbent over on the dotted line 21 so that the structure then has a mainbod art 15 com risin sides 15a and 15?) (these two sides being indicatedin Fig. 3) spaced apart slightly so that the record sheet as 23 (Fig. 1)may be encompassed, with a snug lit, by the opposite sides 15a and 15?)along the edge 23a of the sheet.

After such bending or folding operation the legs 16 and17 are also faceto face with each other and are very close together and the free end ofthe projection 19 is projecting into the hole 20. These legs are shownspaced.

apart in some of the drawings for clearness of illustration, but it isto be understood that in practice the legs 16 and 17 will lie againsteach other, in the way usual with the nonswinging type of signal, thepurpose being to provide a good frictional contact with the engagedsheet. 7

One of the legs as 17 is preferably a little longer than the other tofacilitate the application of the clip to the record sheet.

There is thus formed, as shown by Figs. 1 and 2, a device whichcomprises a signal part marked 15 as a whole and the bifurcated partcomprising the legs 16 and 17. The part 15 will ordinarily be coloredand different ones may be differently colored to express differentmeanings to the user. The shading on some of these signal part-sindicates the color red,while that on others indicates blue.

The dotted-line position of the signal in Fig. 1 shows the device in itssignaling position whilethe full-line position of that figure shows itin its non-signaling position. It will be observed that when the clip isinitially applied to the sheet as 23 in Fig. 1 and pushed intofrictional engagement therewith, the

application movement is arrested when the edge 23a of the sheet isencountered by the edge of the fold 26 at 26a (Fig. 2) and it will benoted that when the signal is swung into the non-signaling position ofFig. 1 the rounded edge or fold 26 engages and extends closely along.the top edge 23a of the record sheet and limits the further movement ofthe signal device inthat direction.

The parts 16- and 17 are in frictional contact with the sheet 23 andhold the signal in means 19 and 20 in other figures.

its upright or dotted-line signaling position of Fig. 1, and these parts16 and 17 also remain in such frictional contact when the device isswung out of the signaling position into the non-signaling position ofFig. 1.

The swinging or rocking movement of the device takes place on thepivotal area provided by the projection 19, which indents the paperstock of the record sheet at the hole 20 and sufficiently locks thedevice in its operative position to hold it for such swinging movementswith'the projection 19 at the center of such movement.

Turning to Figs. 5 and 6 the construction is in all essential respectsthe same as already described, and the only difference is in giving thelegs 16a and 17a an angular relation to the body 25. Fig. 5 shows thatwhen the body or signal part 15 is in the non-signaling position theholding parts 16a and 17a are not immediately at the free edge 23a ofthe sheet 23. In some uses this would have some advantage since theselegs are thus more out of the way and less likely to be movedinadvertently by the operators fingers while turning the pages orfingering the cards.

Fig. 7 differs from Fig. 1 only in the omission of the hole 20 and theprojection 19. The device of Fig. 7 may be applied tothe sheet androcked on the stop 26?) (which is the same as the stop 26a in Fig. 2)which stop acts as a fulcrum in Fig. 7 engaging the free edge of thesheet. In using the device of Fig. 7 it will be found that there is atendency of the device as a whole to slide about slightly on the sheetwhile it is being operated so that a final adjustment of the device maybe called for unless some care is taken when the device is moved fromone position to another. here the pivoting means are provided, however,the operator simply throws the signal part 15 from one position to theother and the device does not move bodily sidewise or in or out on thesheet.

Turning to Figs. 8 and 9 we find the entire device in the form of a pairof leaves 30 and 31 bent over at 32 so as to lie face to face with eachother and close together so as to provide spring pressure between themsufficient to clamp the paper frictionally when the device is caused toengage opposite sides of the sheet. The parts 30 and 31 have inwardlydirected projections at 33 and 34 which serve as a stop to limit theapplication of the device tothe sheet. The operator can readily feelwhen these projections reach the top of the sheet. There is a pivotingprojection at 35 adapted to enter a hole at 36 and thus provide pivotingmeans in all respects the same as I These pivoting means are near thefree end of the clip device. The bend at 36 is on a diagonal line sothat when the clip is in the non-signaling position as shown in Fig. 8there will be only that small bent over edge 32 visible. The frictionalcontact of the projections 33 and 34 is relatively small compared withthat of the pivotal contact at 35 and 36 so that when the device of Fig.8 is swung or rocked from one position to another the projections 33 and34 will slide upon the paper while the pivoting means at 35 and 36remain fixed.

In Fig. 10 the construction is essentially the same as in Figs. 2 and 6,the only difference being that the bifurcated holding part or springyleaves at 40 and the signal part at 41 combine in side view to form asemi-circular shape. The pivot at 42 is the same as already described asare the folded edge 43 and stop 43a. This construction provides agreater area for frictional contact with both sides of the sheet andalso a larger signal part. The dotted lines of Fig. 10 show thesignaling position.

I contemplate as being included in these improvements all such changes,variations and departures from what is thus specifically illustrated anddescribed as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A sheet signal of the character described having a holding partformed of springy material and adapted to be slipped frictionally uponopposite sides of a record sheet adjacent to an edge thereof, and asignal part extending from said holding part, the holding part beingadapted to rock frictionally upon the record sheet when the signal partis swung substantially in the plane of the record sheet, the signal partbeing formed to lie in a nonsignaling position near the edge of therecord sheet When the signal part is in one position and to extend awayfrom the edge of the record sheet and substantially in the planethereof, when in another position, to form a signal, the holding parthaving such frictional engagement with the record sheet as to hold thesignal part in said last-mentioned position.

2. A sheet signal of the character described formed of thin sheetmaterial comprising a bifurcated holding part adapted to be slippedfrictionally upon opposite sides of a record sheet adjacent to an edgethereof, and a signal part extending from said bifurcated part, meansforming a stop limiting the extent to which said bifurcated part may beapplied to the record sheet, the bifurcated part being adapted to slidefrictionally upon the sheet with a rocking motion with said stop meansremaining adjacent to the edge of the record sheet, the signal partbeing formed to extend longitudinally along the edge of the sheet in oneposition and to extend away from the edge of the sheet and substantiallyin the plane of the sheet to form a signal in another position, thefrictional contact of the bifurcated part with I. the record sheet beingsuch as to hold said signal part in said last-mentioned position.

3. A sheet signal of the character described formed of thin, fiat andspringy sheet material comprising a bifurcated holding part adapted tobe slipped frictionally upon opposite sides of a record sheet adjacentto an edge thereof, and a signal part formed from the material foldedupon itself and extending from said bifurcated part, the folded signalpart being adapted to receive edge portions of the record sheet betweenthe folds of said signal part, said holding part being adapted to slidefrictionally upon the record sheet with a rocking motion, the signalpart being formed to encompass edge portions of the record sheet in oneposition and to extend away from the edge of the record sheet andsubstantially in the plane thereof, to form a signal in anotherposition, the frictional contact of the holding part with the recordsheet being adapted to hold said signal part in said last-mentionedposition.

4. A sheet signal of the character described consisting of a holdingpart and a signal part, the holding part comprising a pair of springyleaves face to face and adapted to be slipped frictionally upon a recordsheet from an edge thereof with the record sheet between said leaves, atleast one of said leaves having pivoting means providing a plvoted areathereon whereby the holding part may rock frictionally upon the recordsheet with said pivoted area at the center of such rocking movement, anda signal part carried by said holding part to assume signaling andnonsignaling relative positions respectively when the holdingpart isrocked on said pivoting means.

5. The device of claim4 hereof in which said pivoting means comprise asmall inwardly-directed projection in the material of one of the leaves.

6. The device of claim 4 hereof in which said pivoting means comprise asmall in wardly-directed projection on one of the leaves and there is acooperating oppositelydisposed opening in the other leaf.

7. The combination of claim 4 hereof in which said pivoting means are sopositioned as to be close to the edge of the record sheet when thedevice is normally applied thereto.

CLARE H. LAW.

